Chef Central, Paramus

[tommy]

what color is it?

please note that from this moment on a fine of 10 dollars per stupid question will be assessed.

[Liza]

(writing a check right now for this one:)

Wouldn't it make sense for Hackensack Restaurant Supply in Bergenfield to change its name to Bergenfield Restaurant Supply?

[Rachel Perlow]

Of course. I've always wondered why they called themselves that.

[ngatti]

Cause they used to be on State Street in Hackensack.

They bought the Bergenfield franchise a few years ago when "Reliable Triple C" went belly up. It (Bergenfield) was a larger facility (bigger warehouse space). They just never changed their name. Close enough to Hackensack anyway.

Nick

[jtphjl]

Chef Central was matching other store's prices - does any one have knowledge that that is no longer their policy? You have to go in with proof - They do have higher prices - They have met Fortunoff's price (I had the catalog with me) and also another mail order catalog (drawing a blank on the name...)

[swissmiss]

I went to Chef Central yesterday and no sign said anything about matching other stores' prices. But yet I didn't look for one or asked about it. You could probably call and ask.

I really liked the store, which wasn't crowded at all (neither was Rte 17!). They have a great selection and I found everything I was looking for aside from transparent squeeze bottles and tea oil. Their prices were decent on certain items but yes, expensive on others. All in all a good experience and I'll definitely go back there.

[201]

I really liked the store, which wasn't crowded at all (neither was Rte 17!)...

You were either very lucky or you were there pretty early. I was driving down 17 around 1pm and it looked horrible enough that I had to get off and take the side roads. In any case, I'm glad you enjoyed the store and had a good experience.

[swissmiss]

You were either very lucky or you were there pretty early.

No, pretty late--around 6, and it was pouring! I also really enjoyed the Barnes & Noble a little further up on the South side of Rte 17. I like Paramus, but too bad that everything is closed on Sunday.

[coquille]

not only will they match others' prices, but you can use competitor's coupons. i can't understand anyone trashing CC.

[tommy]

not only will they match others' prices, but you can use competitor's coupons.  i can't understand anyone trashing CC.

well, let's face it, if you just stop in, you're paying a premium. if you do your homework, then yeah, i suppose you can get a deal.

[ngatti]

I think pvc is pvc. That why you use a liner

Did ask. Cambro's polycarbonate products are "food grade".

Re PVC. You're right Double Nought. I was wrong. As you said, PVC is PVC. Just make sure to give it a good wash before use

Nick

[tommy]

Re PVC.  You're right Double Nought.  I was wrong.  As you said, PVC is PVC.  Just make sure to give it a good wash before use

i'd be interested to know exactly what you asked and exactly what you were told re: PVC. while PVC may be PVC, manufacturing processes may differ, especially in the QA area. "burr", or shreds of clinging plastic from the molding or cutting process, can exist in just about any process. it seems obvious to me that the tolerance for a food grade container might be different than the tolerance for a paint bucket. however, i'm merely speculating.

[ngatti]

Well that's actually what I thought also. But when I questioned my sales rep, he told me that there wasn't any difference in the PVC. Of course he could be wrong also.

That white container you bought makes me feel better about storing food than a common grey garbage can. But this may be a cosmetic effect.

At this point I have to say...Jeez, I don't know. I'm sure somebody does.

Nick

[tommy]

all i know is that my bucket is better than yours.

[Double 0]

Food grade PVC paint bucket from Home Depot: $2.00

Plastic garbage bag: unneccesary

Being right: PRICELESS

Edited November 25, 2002 by Double 0 (log)

[babyluck]

My DH got a $100 gift certificate for his birthday from people at work. I had never heard of it before, and all I can find on the net are discussions of Iron Chef demos and people bemoaning the prices. (After I found out what it was, I told him to thank them for getting ME a present for his birthday -- in 7 years he's cooked me one full meal and it was frozen ravioli, jarred sauce, bagged salad & bottled dressing. He's darn good at rolling sushi, though, as long as I prepare the rice.)

So, how excited should I be? It sounds like it will at least be a fantastic sensory experience. But I have a bargain hunter's mind and can't stand overpaying. Is there anything you've bought there that is super-special? Should I go there RIGHT NOW on my way home from work? How much time should I allow to browse the whole store? What time do they close? Any sales?

[tommy]

they have quite a bit. from food-stuffs, to plates and flatware, to pots and knives and everything in between. you'll pay a premium, however.

you could easily spend 30 minutes walking around the store on Route 17 in paramus. depending on how much you like to browse.

[Fat Guy]

You could go there and try to scalp the gift certificate . . .

[menton1]

You'll find an emormous amount of information and discussion about Chef Central here

[coquille]

Chef Central accepts coupons! All those Bed Bath & Beyond card, Linens N Things brochures, and Macy's circulars? Bring 'em in! They don't make a big production of announcing it, but I believe the policy is that 1 coupon per customer is accepted. So, find the best percentage off from someone else and then go shopping there.

[babyluck]

Thanks, guys. We're considering going up there tomorrow afternoon -- I'll let you know!

[tommy]

Thanks, guys.  We're considering going up there tomorrow afternoon -- I'll let you know!

as you probably know, don't go on sunday, as they're closed. and, of course, avoid rt 17 at all costs on saturday.

[Lreda]

He's darn good at rolling sushi, though

Hmmmmm, if he can roll sushi, I'm sure he can work with us.

[babyluck]

Well, you might want to rethink that after you hear about the scene he made in Chef Central. We did go on Saturday, the traffic wasn't too bad, and we were there for 2 1/2 hours. Apparently I was being too negative about the stupid, overpriced, useless crap-destined-for-yard-sales he was picking out, so we had a few stage-whispered arguments, tried avoiding each other for a while, then he started throwing rubber spatulas. I guess I should be glad it wasn't the Ming Tsai series ceramic knife he wanted to buy that was in his hand at the time. My mistake was that I let on that the gift certificate was really intended for me. If only I hadn't said that out loud...

Anyway, I was pretty much like a pig in shit until the spatulas came flying; maybe that's why I was so grumpy by the time I looked at the foodstuffs, but I was pretty disappointed.

I cannot understand why 4/5 of the stuff was prepared food. Why would I be there if I didn't know how, or choose to spend the time, to make my own cookies, salad dressing, sauce, etc.? I'm not saying I always take the time, but if you've just bought a pasta roller for your KitchenAid, it's kind of hard to rationalize "let me pick up this JAR of sauce for my homemade pasta." Is it really frequented by so many people who have a passion for decorating their kitchens to make them look professional? The size of the oil/vinegar section was the same as in Town & Country in Westfield and it's a LIQUOR STORE. I would like to see the oil/vinegar section tripled, basic ingredients (not Ernest Hemingway's Papaya Molasses Champagne Marinade -- when's the last time you saw a recipe calling for that?) from major world cuisines, a better selection of grains, every herb & spice known to man -- you know, your basic dream gourmet shop for cooks, with authentic products at reasonable prices. From what I saw, the selection of Asian ingredients at ShopRite is better, and the brands are the same.

Then there was the liquor. With so much going on, I sidestepped the wines, but looked closer at the hard liquor after seeing a sign saying something about them being carefully hand-selected by the staff. I thought there might be a chance that they'd have Demerara rum or another elusive ingredient for our vintage tiki cocktails. Nope. Six or seven flavors of Cruzan white rum, and that's about it.

I know I'm not the arithmetical mean. My taste is so far adrift of average that anything I like is immediately discontinued, shut down, or cancelled after one season. But I expected more from a store for serious home cooks.

On the plus side: so far, my favorite purchase is the fig balsamic vinegar flavored with orange and vanilla. It's exactly the kind of thing I usually pooh-pooh because I'm in favor of basic ingredients that can be flavored at home. But for some reason, I had to buy it and I'm so glad I did. I made a vinaigrette with walnut oil last night and served it over strawberries & canteloupe on mint leaves & red leaf lettuce with cracked pepper over all. It was so damn good. It's really sweet and flavorful so it would be fine by itself over fruit, and it's pretty thick too.

I let him buy a long-handled Zippo and a Zyliss chopper, and after he ate my dinner last night I think all was forgiven.

[tommy]

Then there was the liquor.

at the route 17 chefs central?